Amazon Reportedly Working on Android-based Smartphone

Amazon is now working on a smartphone, if a report from Bloomberg is to be believed.

The device is being built to directly compete with other Android-based phones and the iPhone. The phone is reportedly in production at Foxconn, the Chinese manufacturing company that builds hundreds of products. While Amazon currently produces several products, including the Kindle e-reader and Kindle Fire tablet, the company has made no indication of entering the smartphone arena.

If true, it stands to reason that Amazon’s smartphone will have deep integration with the Amazon Prime service, which gives subscribers not only free two-day shipping, but also free access to tens of thousands of TV shows and movies. Amazon will also likely offer a number of cloud services such as a music player similar to Google Play (formerly Google Music), and have its own Android-based app store and media marketplace to buy movies, TV shows, music, and games.

Amazon is certainly in a strong position to sell their own smartphone because of the company’s retail power as well as its connections to cellular carriers through Amazon Wireless, which sells hundreds of phones on all major US carriers.

Would you be interested in an Amazon smartphone? What would make it worth buying for you?

Source : ign[dot]com

iPhone Turns 5, Now Available Prepaid at Virgin Mobile

Who would have thought the iPhone would be a $150 billion goliath five years after its introduction, with more than 250 million handsets sold around the world?

Certainly not the competition, which in 2007 included heavyweights like Nokia, Research in Motion and the now defunct Palm. These smartphone rivals had six months to prepare for the iPhone after its debut at Macworld Expo, finally hitting retail stores on June 29 - five years ago today.

The competitors left standing are feeling the pain of their inaction today as Apple remarkably continues to sell three out of the five models, with a sixth generation handset likely on the way this fall.

Apple is also leaving no stone unturned, with the iPhone 4S and previous generation iPhone 4 finally available at prepaid carriers across the United States.

The second in what's sure to be a long list of pay-as-you-go carriers to land the iconic handset is Virgin Mobile, the Sprint subsidiary who rolls out the iPhone on Friday, perhaps not so coincidentally timed with the handset's fifth anniversary.

In addition to being available wherever Virgin Mobile products are sold -- which includes Target, RadioShack and Best Buy, among others -- the company has opened 10 of its own branded retail stores across Chicago today. If successful, Virgin plans to roll out the red carpet at retail nationwide in the months ahead.

"This month marks Virgin Mobile USA's tenth birthday," said Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group. "And what better way to thank our fans for ten years of loyalty than by giving them exactly what they want: the perfect plan for the perfect phone. That is the essence of 'A Higher Calling.'"

Virgin Mobile now offers the 16GB iPhone 4S for $649 or the 8GB iPhone 4 for $549, with three unlimited text and data plans ranging from $30 to $50 per month, depending on how many voice minutes are required.

Source : ign[dot]com

Joe Danger Touch Announced for iOS

Joe Danger will be coming iPhone and iPad later this year, says British developer Hello Games.

But the title isn't a lazy port: Joe Danger Touch is a brand new game built specifically with touchscreen controls in mind. To do a wheelie, for instance, players will swipe their finger across the touchscreen, while tapping will be used to make Joe jump.

The game boasts 50 new levels and some new playable characters as well.

First screenshot from Joe Danger Touch.

Joe Danger debuted on PlayStation back in 2010, with an special version of the game making it to XBLA last year. As well as Joe Danger Touch, Hello Games is also working on a full-blown console sequel titled Joe Danger: The Movie.



Source : ign[dot]com

Windows Phone Surpasses the iPhone in China

Microsoft has reached a milestone in one of the largest smartphone markets by passing up Apple's iPhone in China.

According to WMPoweruser, COO for the Greater China Region at Microsoft Michel van der Bel has stated that Windows Phone 7 has grabbed 7% of the market share just two months after the platform's regional launch, trumping Apple's 6% of the pie.

The big fish is still quite a distance away, with Android accounting for a commanding 69% of the market.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/18/windows-phone-surpasses-the-iphone-in-china